How much money could you save go by going green?
With the NHS net zero target fast approaching, we’re all looking for ways to be greener and reduce our carbon footprint. But did you know that lowering your carbon emissions could also lower your bills? Just by switching your lighting to LEDs, you could save up to 75% on your lighting costs.
Making energy saving changes doesn’t have to cost the earth. There are lots of small, cost-effective ways you can improve the carbon footprint of your site and see a return on investment (ROI) in just a few months.
Here are some ways to drastically lower your utility bills with little to no cost solutions.
Low cost initiatives:
Timers
By installing timers or sensors on manually controlled equipment, you could save on energy and reduce your utilities bills. Timers or sensors can be used on things as small as lights or as big as heating systems. And for a very minimal spend, you’ll likely see ROI within just a couple of months.
Lighting upgrades
A site assessment could help you find locations where lighting could be updated. Simply swapping to LED lights and installing occupancy sensors could improve your energy efficiency and brighten up your working environment.
Thermostatic Radiator Valves
Consider adding Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRV) to your heating system and regularly checking to make sure they’re working properly. TRVs allow you to control the temperature of each radiator and each room, so you're not wasting heat on a room that isn’t used often. You can also insulate your radiator pipes to reduce heat loss and improve the efficiency of your radiators.
Care for your condensing unit
Set a schedule to clean and remove any dust or debris buildup from your filters and condensing units. This will help make sure they’re operating at top efficiency.
Window film
Adding reflective film or blinds to your windows can reduce solar heat gain and reduce the need for excessive cooling.
Low cost in action: boiler timers
The boiler at Merseyside Health Centre was set to heat at all times, even when the centre was closed. We installed a £200, 7-day programmable timer to control the site heating.
This resulted in:
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19% reduction in energy usage
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3569kg CO2e saved annually
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£1945 annual cost saving
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2.5 months to see a return on investment.
No cost initiatives:
Shutdown policy
Creating a shutdown policy can have a significant impact on your energy usage. Work with your colleagues to create a checklist for closing down after operating hours. This might include turning electronics off at the plug, checking lights are turned off, switching manually controlled heating off and closing windows.
Training
Lowering your energy use is a team effort. Regularly discuss changes and results with your colleagues and offer ongoing training so everyone is informed and engaged. Dedicate part of your team meetings to discussing green initiatives and keep sustainability at the forefront of everyone's minds.
Check your timers
Regularly check that your heating timers match your occupancy. Changes to opening hours could mean you're heating at the wrong times, and a cold building might lead to more use of portable heaters/fans, which increases energy costs.
Eco mode
Using the eco mode on appliances will limit how much energy they use. Create regulations on how colleagues use heating and cooling controls on your site. Putting stickers or labels next to controls can help everyone follow the same guidance.
Ventilation grills
Keep your ventilation grills clean and free of debris to avoid any obstruction to the airflow. This also includes checking outside units for shrubbery obstructing their heat transfer. Create a schedule with reminders so this gets checked regularly.
Get more tips on reducing carbon at your site
Get more expert tips
Find more guidance on making your site more sustainable, including information on waste and recycling, saving water and protecting the environment.
If you’re looking to make sustainable upgrades to your property, you can also find information on funding green plans in our guide to estate funding.
